My daughter doesn’t get a vote

My daughter Olivia is like most first graders. She is confident and adventurous and, at times, defiant.

When risks are low, I prefer she learn from experience. The school of hard knocks can teach valuable lessons.

When it comes to security and safety, however, the cost is too high to let her learn the hard way. As parents, we instruct but lay down the law.

Like many, our house has a rule: No helmet – no bike. Period. My daughter doesn’t get a vote.

Of course, Olivia objects to this rule…“I don’t need one.” “Emma doesn’t wear one.” Olivia also negotiates…”What if I’m careful?” ”What if I stay in the driveway?”

This is not a blog about parenting. Having a helmet rule is equivalent to having a policy of using disposal tags as part an IT asset disposition program (ITAD).

When an organization starts a policy of disposal tags, it is natural for some front-line employees to resist… ”We don’t need them.” “We’ve never had a problem.” It is also natural for employees to negotiate …”What if we use them on data-bearing devices?”

Setting IT security policy, like parenting, is not about being popular. Likewise, when it comes to IT security policies, front-line employees shouldn’t get a vote. No tags – no disposal.

If you are reading this, you probably already understand the merits of using disposal tags. If you still debating making disposal tags a formal policy, I get it.

When I started wearing a helmet twenty years ago, I wasn’t 100% convinced it was needed. I admit I was a little embarrassed. Today I know better. I feel vulnerable and exposed without one.

Had helmets been around when I was growing up my parents would have made us wear them. Sure, my brothers and I would have complained, but we’d have had fewer concussions and fewer scars.